Thread-picker.



PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

P. A. ROBINSON.

THREAD PIGKER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15, 1904.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES Patented May 9, 1905'.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK ALEXANDER ROBINSON, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ALVA V.WVILSON, OF DERUYTER, NEW YORK.

THREAD-PICKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,296, dated May 9,1905.

Application filed September 15, 1904. Serial No. 224,578.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK ALEXANDER R013- INSON, of Syracuse, in thecounty of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Thread-Pickers, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to improvements in thread-pickers for withdrawingstitches or threads-such as hemstitching, basting, rippingand also forthe removal of certain threads of a body of fabric in what is commonlyknown as drawnwork.

My object is to provide a simple pointed hand implement with a thumboperated thread-clamp, whereby the threads may be easily selected andcaught upon the point of the implement and then gripped by the clamp toWithdraw the thread, such as a bastingthread or the thread of drawnwork.

Another object is to provide the shank of this pointed instrument with acutting edge, whereby the threads may be severed when desired.

Other more specific objects will appear in the following description.

In the drawings, Figures 1 and Qare respectively side elevation and topplan of a threadpicker embodying the features of my invention. Figs. 3,4, and 5 are sectional views taken, respectively, on lines 3 3, 4 4, and5 5, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the detached thumb-clamp orgripping device.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

In carrying out the objects of this inven tion I provide a suitablehandle 1 with an elongated sharp-pointed tool or picker 2, which isusually made of knife or shear steel and is usually rounding incross-section at the point, or rather has its upperand lower edgesrounded in cross-section, as best seen in Fig. 5, the point beingsomewhat slender with a long taper and having a smooth surface, so as topermit the thread, as a, to ride easily upon the point. At some distanceback from the point on the shank the upper edge of the tool in itsentire length from end to end, although i the width of the channel atthe rear end is considerably greater than that at the front end. Thislever extends forwardly from its fulcrum somc'distance beyond the cutter3 and terminates a short distance at the rear of the extreme point ofthe tool 2 and gradually tapers in width from its rear end toward itsfront end, so that the channel at the front end is of substantially thesame width as the adjacent upper face of the tool 2,with which the pointof the lever engages to clamp the thread thereon after being pulled outby the point 2. This clamping-lever 4 lies almost wholly above the bladeor tool 2 and is adapted to be rocked upon its fulcrum by the thumb. Inorder that this may be easily accomplished and as naturally as possible,the rear upper face of the lever 4 is concave, which concave faceextends forwardly and rearwardly beyond the pivotal axis of the lever,so that by pressing downwardly upon the rear end of the lever the pointof the clamp is thrown upwardly, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1,during the operation of picking or selecting the thread from the fabric,whereupon the part of the thread which is looped over the point iscaused to move rearwardly along said point under the gripping edge ofthe lever 4, and the lever is then rocked by the thumb to force itsgripping edge into holding engagement with the thread, whereupon thethread may be readily withdrawn from the fabric. When it is desired tocut the thread, the part which is looped upon the point is brought intoengagement with the cutter 3, and by slightly lifting the implement witha drawing motion the thread is readily severed.

It will be observed that the lever 4: lies directly over the cutter 3,and thus forms a shield to protect the edge of said cutter and also toprotect the operator from being injured by said cutting edge. It willalso be seen upon reference to Fig. 1 that the concave thumb-engagingsurface is made to conform as nearly as possible to the contour of thethumb-that is, the upward curvature of the front end of the concave faceis more abrupt than the remaining portion, so as to afford a bettergripping surface or abutment for the end of the thumb in pressing thepoint of the lever downwardly upon the point of the tool or upon thethread which may be looped around the tool.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. A thread-picker comprising a handle and a pointed tool thereon, and achanneled lever having a thread-gripping surface and a thumbengagingportion both at the same side of the point.

2. A thread-picker comprising a pointed tool and a lever pivoted thereonand having a thread-engaging surface and a thumb-engaging portion bothat the same side of the point,

the thumb-engaging portion extending forwardly and rearwardly from thefulcrum of the lever.

3. A thread-picker having a pointed tool and a knife-edge at the rear ofthe point, in combination with a thread-gripping jaw covering the cutterand having a channel receiving said point.

l. In a thread-picker, the combination with a pointed blade having acutting edge, of a thread-gripping jaw having a channeled bladeengagingpart and a thumb-engaging part both at the same side of the blade.

5. In a thread-picker, the combination of a pointed blade and athread-gripping jaw having a channeled lower face, and a concavethumb-engaging upper face.

6. A threadpicker comprising a pointed blade and a gripping-jaw pivotedto the blade and having a finger-engaging portion extending in front andat the rear of its pivot.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of June,1904.

FRANK ALEXANDER ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

ALBERT MEsENn, FRED T. BEACH.

